Combined amendments create confusion

(Illustration by Omar Forty)

By Rachel Giordano

If you exercised your right to vote on Nov. 6, 2018, you voted on many important issues. Actually, you had to vote on two things in one amendments that had absolutely nothing to do with each other. Do you know what I am referring to? That’s right. Amendment 9 on the ballot combined prohibiting offshore drilling and prohibiting the use of e-cigarettes indoors. Hmm. What? I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I am pretty sure that offshore drilling has absolutely nothing to do with vaping. Why were the two not separate amendments? Let’s look at it this way: If you do not really care if people smoke those vape devices indoors but are completely against offshore drilling, then you had to decide which was more important to you. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? Amendment 9 was not the only bundled issue; amendment 7 involved governance of the state college system and death benefits for survivors of first responders and military members. Excuse me? Why would they bundle these two? If allowing for benefits for survivors of first responders and military personnel was something you cared deeply about, then you automatically voted for the governance of the state college system. That’s just not fair. I do not understand the government at times. In fact, I do not see how anyone can. Voting is hard enough these days because you have to really study up on all of the issues so that you are aware of what they all mean. Putting two issues that are not related in any way just seems like an unfair trick. Oh, you government, you sly dog.